DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office Action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 01/27/2026 has been entered and made of record.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Status
Claims 21 and 35-36 are amended.
Claim 27 is cancelled.
No new claim is/are added.
Claims 21-26 and 28-40 are pending for examination.
Applicant Argument
Applicant’s response has been fully considered. Below are applicant’s main arguments and examiner’s response to those arguments:
Applicant’s argument: (remark pages 8-11), filed on 01/27/2026, with respect to claim 21 and 35-36, ‘Applicant has amended independent claim 21 to recite … Applicant respectfully asserts that claims 21, 35, and 36 are in condition for allowance’.
Examiner’s response: Examiner respectfully disagrees. First, Examiner does not find the specification supports ‘a configuration indicating a default waveform type and a threshold amount of time’. See the detailed Office Action bellow under Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 section.
Tie teaches that UE would stop detecting a DCI when a DCI indicating WUS being received less than M_OF (a threshold amount of time) prior to a start of the next occurring DRX Active Time (Tie: [0097]-[0098], [FIG.3], [0101]). Zhang teaches DCI indicating a waveform indicator (Zhang: [0112], [Abstract], [0009]). Sun teaches a communication system configured with a default waveform (Sun: [0115]). Therefore, combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun teaches UE would use a default waveform in case that either UE does not detect DCI with waveform indicator due to being received less than a threshold amount of time prior to a start of the next occurring DRX Active Time or DCI does not comprise a waveform indicator. See the detailed Office Action bellow under 35 U.S.C. § 103 section.
Applicant’s arguments (remark pages 8-11), filed on 01/27/2026, with respect to claims 21-26 and 28-40 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground of rejection below which better address the claimed invention as amended.
Claim Objection
Claim 36 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 36 line 17: “trasnmitted” should read as “transmitted”.
Appropriate correction(s) is/are required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and
of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to
enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to
make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint
inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and
process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person
skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the
same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 21 and 35-36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 21 lines 5-6, claim 35 lines 3-4, and claim 36 lines 4-5: ‘a configuration indicating a default waveform type and a threshold amount of time’. The Examiner cannot find the support of the claimed limitation in the specification since all of the drawings and its related specification do not show a configuration indicating a default waveform type and a threshold amount of time. Therefore, the written disclosure does not support to newly added limitation as recited in claims 21 and 35-36 since the written disclosure fails to recite the claimed subject matter of newly added limitation. Accordingly, the newly added limitation is not supported by the specification.
Appropriate corrections are required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 21-23, 25-26, 28-30, 32-33 and 35-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tie et al. (US 20230024064 A1), hereinafter “Tie”, in view of Zhang et al. (US 20190261315 A1), hereinafter “Zhang”, and in view of Sun et al. (US 20180287762 A1), hereinafter “Sun”.
Per claim 21, 35 and 36:
Regarding claim 21, Tie teaches ‘A User Equipment device ("UE") apparatus’ (Tie: [FIG.1]: “Terminal-side device”, a UE apparatus); ‘comprising: a processor’ (Tie: [FIG.10]: “Processor”); ‘a memory’ (Tie: [FIG.10] “Memory”); ‘coupled to the processor’ (Tie: [0025]: “The memory may be coupled to the processor”), ‘the processor configured to cause the UE to’ (Tie: [0025]: “The processor is configured to support the communication apparatus in performing a corresponding function of the terminal-side device”);
‘receive a configuration indicating a default waveform type and a threshold amount of time’ (No need to teach since this is not supported by the specification. See the detailed Office Action above under Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 section);
‘monitor for Downlink Control Information ("DCI") outside a Discontinuous Reception ("DRX") Active Time’ (Tie: [FIG.7]: block 701: “A terminal-side device performs detection on a plurality of monitoring occasions before a start time of DRX on duration”, [FIG.8]: “DCI”, “DRX on duration”; [0097]: “DCI format 2_6”, may monitor for DCI outside of DRX active time);
‘receive a downlink transmission on a physical downlink channel during the next occurring DRX Active Time’ (Tie: [0097]-[0098]: “the wake-up signal indication information may indicate the terminal-side device whether to wake up to detect a PDCCH in next one or more DRX cycles … if the terminal-side device detects DCI including wake-up signal indication information, the terminal-side device starts a timer (referred to as a drx-ondurationTimer in the standard) and detects a PDCCH within DRX on duration”; may receive downlink transmission during the next occurring DRX Active Time).
Tie does not expressly teach ‘determine whether the DCI comprises a waveform indicator; determine a waveform type for a next occurring DRX Active Time, wherein the UE determines to use an indicated waveform type in response to the DCI comprising the waveform indicator’ and ‘using the determined waveform’.
However, Zhang in the same field of endeavor teaches ‘determine whether the DCI comprises a waveform indicator’ (Zhang: [Title]: “METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR WAVEFORM INDICATION IN HIGH-FREQUENCY BANDS”; [0004]: “both OFDM and single carrier waveform (such as DFT-s-OFDM and SC-QAM) for DL transmissions”; [0112]: “DCI to indicate a UE-specific waveform”, DCI would have waveform indicator about which waveform such as OFDM, DTF-s-OFDM or SC-QAM for UE to apply; [FIG.8]: “Waveform Determination Component”; [0099]: “the UE 604 may determine a waveform”, [0090]: “the system only supports a single waveform for the sake of simplicity. For example, a new gNB or UE only supports SC-QAM in DL and UL. One proposal for waveform indication via the SS block for PBCH is to make use of the existing PSS detection of a current NR system”, gNB may support only one waveform indicated by SS block of PBCH, i.e. a default waveform and DCI would not need to include waveform indication; UE would determine whether DCI comprise a waveform indicator);
‘determine a waveform type’ (Zhang: [FIG.8]: “Waveform Determination”; [0004]: “both OFDM and single carrier waveform (such as DFT-s-OFDM and SC-QAM) for DL transmissions”, UE would determine a waveform type such as OFDM, DFT-s-OFDM or SC-QAM);
‘wherein the UE determines to use an indicated waveform type in response to the DCI comprising the waveform indicator’ (Zhang: [0112]: “DCI to indicate a UE-specific waveform”, a waveform type indicated by DCI);
‘using the determined waveform’ (Zhang: [FIG.8]: “Waveform reconfiguration Component” -> “Transmission Component”: “UE waveform configuration”, using the determined waveform).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Zhang’s teaching with that of Tie for UE to determine a waveform type for a next occurring DRX Active Time in order to support other waveforms for above 60 GHz bands to avoid high PAPR with OFDM waveform (Zhang: [0004]: “As even higher RF carrier frequencies above 60 GHz begin to be utilized, due to the severe propagation loss in the high RF carrier frequencies, the high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) with OFDM waveform may affect the link budget and the coverage area. Thus, it becomes advantageous to use other single carrier waveforms for DL transmissions that afford lower PAPRs at these higher frequencies, such as Discrete Fourier Transform spread OFDM (DFT-S-OFDM) and single carrier QAM waveform … the NR standard might incorporate both OFDM and single carrier waveform (such as DFT-s-OFDM and SC-QAM) for DL transmissions for RF carrier frequencies above 60 GHz”).
Combination of Tie and Zhang teaches ‘wherein the UE determines to use the default waveform type in response to the DCI comprising the waveform indicator being received less than the threshold amount of time prior to a start of the next occurring DRX Active Time’ (Tie: [0097]-[0098]: “Before DRX on duration, the wake-up signal indication information may indicate the terminal-side device whether to wake up to detect a PDCCH in next one or more DRX cycles … the terminal-side device does not detect the DCI including the wake-up signal indication information”; [FIG.3]: “M_OF”; [0101]: “the terminal-side device may stop detecting the wake-up signal indication information at a time 2 before the DRX on duration. Duration between the time 2 and the start time of the DRX on duration is a first offset and may also be referred to as a minimum offset, which is denoted as M_OF”, UE won’t detect DCI (with WUS) which being received less than threshold amount of time (M_OF) prior to the start of the next occurring DRX Active Time. [Zhang]: [0112]: “DCI to indicate a UE-specific waveform”; [0002]: “waveform indication in high-frequency band”; [Abstract]: “determine a first waveform for a broadcast channel, based in part on a received synchronization block signal from a base station. Then the UE further determines a second waveform”; [0009]: “The NR-supported waveforms currently are limited to OFDM on downlink (DL)”. UE would use the NR OFDM waveform since UE won’t detect DCI (with waveform indicator) which being received less than the threshold amount of time prior to a start of the next occurring DRX Active Time). However, combination of Tie and Zhang fails to expressly teach a default waveform;
‘wherein the UE determines to use the default waveform type in response to the DCI not comprising the waveform indicator’ (Zhang: [0009]: “The NR-supported waveforms currently are limited to OFDM on downlink (DL)”, UE would use the NR OFDM waveform if DCI does not comprise a waveform indicator). However, combination of Tie and Zhang fails to expressly teach a default waveform.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Zhang’s teaching of waveform indicator with that of Tie in order to support other waveforms for above 60 GHz bands to avoid high PAPR with OFDM waveform (Zhang: [0004]: “As even higher RF carrier frequencies above 60 GHz begin to be utilized, due to the severe propagation loss in the high RF carrier frequencies, the high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) with OFDM waveform may affect the link budget and the coverage area. Thus, it becomes advantageous to use other single carrier waveforms for DL transmissions that afford lower PAPRs at these higher frequencies, such as Discrete Fourier Transform spread OFDM (DFT-S-OFDM) and single carrier QAM waveform … the NR standard might incorporate both OFDM and single carrier waveform (such as DFT-s-OFDM and SC-QAM) for DL transmissions for RF carrier frequencies above 60 GHz”).
However, Sun in the same field of endeavor teaches a communication system could be configured with a default waveform so that each UE can always access the network using the default waveform (Sun: [0115]: “a communications system may be configured with a default waveform for the coreset used for initial access. With a default waveform for initial access, each UE may always access the network using the default waveform”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Sun’s teaching with that of combination of Tie and Zhang for UE to use the default waveform in case that either UE does not detect DCI or DCI does not comprise a waveform indicator in order to access network with a known waveform (see reference quotes in element above).
Regarding claim 35, claim 35 recites the method implemented by the UE of claim 21 (see rejection of claim 21 above).
Regarding claim 36, Tie teaches ‘A base station for wireless communication’ (Tie: [FIG.1]: “Network-side device”; [0049]: “DRX on duration is configured by the network-side device”, a base station for wireless communication);’comprising: a processor’ (Tie: [FIG.10]: “Processor”); ‘a memory’ (Tie: [FIG.10] “Memory”); ‘coupled to the processor’ (Tie: [0025]: “The memory may be coupled to the processor); ‘the processor configured to cause the base station to’ (Tie: [0025]: “The processor is configured to support the communication apparatus in performing a corresponding function of the terminal-side device”);
‘transmit, to a user equipment ("UE"), a configuration indicating a default waveform type and a threshold amount of time’ (No need to teach since this is not supported by the specification. See the detailed Office Action above under Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 section);
‘a next occurring Discontinuous Reception ("DRX") Active Time for the UE’ (Tie: [0005] “To further reduce power consumption of the terminal-side device, before the DRX on duration, wake-up signal (WUS) indication information may be further sent to indicate the terminal-side device whether to detect the PDCCH in next one or more DRX cycles”; [0097]: “The wake-up signal indication information is sent by using DCI. A DCI format of the DCI may be a DCI format 26 (DCI format 2_6)”; determine a next DRX active time and transmit a DCI outside any DRX Active Time of the UE);
‘transmit Downlink Control Information ("DCI") outside any DRX Active Time of the UE’ (discussed in element above);
‘perform a downlink transmission on a physical downlink channel during the next occurring DRX Active Time’(Tie: [0158]: “If the terminal-side device receives a PDCCH indicating new downlink or uplink data transmission within the DRX on duration”, base station would perform a DL transmission during the next occurring DRX Active Time).
Tie does not expressly teach ‘determine a waveform type’, ‘wherein the determined waveform type is an indicated waveform type or a default waveform type’, ‘wherein the DCI comprises a waveform indicator when the determined waveform type is the indicated waveform type’, ‘using the determined waveform’, and ‘wherein the determined waveform type indicated waveform type in response to the DCI comprising the waveform indicator’.
However, Zhang teaches ‘determine a waveform type’ (Zhang: [Title]: “METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR WAVEFORM INDICATION IN HIGH-FREQUENCY BANDS”; [0004]: “the NR standard might incorporate both OFDM and single carrier waveform (such as DFT-s-OFDM and SC-QAM) for DL transmissions for RF carrier frequencies above 60 GHz”; [0009]: “The NR-supported waveforms currently are limited to OFDM on downlink (DL)”; [0112]: “DCI to indicate a UE-specific waveform”; [FIG.9]: “Waveform Determination Component”, base station would determine a waveform type such as OFDM, DFT-s-OFDM or SC-QAM);
‘wherein the determined waveform type is an indicated waveform type’ (Zhang: [0112]: “DCI to indicate a UE-specific waveform”; [0004]: “both OFDM and single carrier waveform (such as DFT-s-OFDM and SC-QAM) for DL transmissions”, waveform type such as OFDM, DFT-s-OFDM or SC-QAM); ‘or a default waveform type’ (this is optional);
‘wherein the DCI comprises a waveform indicator when the determined waveform type is the indicated waveform type’ (Zhang: [0112]: “DCI to indicate a UE-specific waveform”; [FIG.9]: “Waveform Determination Component”; need a DCI to indicate the waveform (a DCI would comprise a waveform indicator about which waveform such as OFDM, DFT-s-OFDM or SC-QAM);
‘using the determined waveform’ (Zhang: [FIG.9]: “Waveform Configuration Component”, “Transmission Component”);
‘wherein the determined waveform type indicated waveform type in response to the DCI comprising the waveform indicator’ (Zhang: [0112]: “DCI to indicate a UE-specific waveform”; [FIG.9]: “Waveform Determination Component”; determine a waveform type based on the DCI).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Zhang’s teaching with that of Tie in order to support other waveforms for above 60 GHz bands to avoid high PAPR with OFDM waveform (see quotes from Zhang at claim 21 above).
Combination of Tie and Zhang teaches ‘wherein the determined waveform type is the default waveform type in response to the DCI comprising the waveform indicator being trasnmitted less than the threshold amount of time prior to a start of the next occurring DRX Active Time’ (Tie: [0097]-[0098]: “Before DRX on duration, the wake-up signal indication information may indicate the terminal-side device whether to wake up to detect a PDCCH in next one or more DRX cycles … the terminal-side device does not detect the DCI including the wake-up signal indication information”; [FIG.3]: “M_OF”; [0101]: “the terminal-side device may stop detecting the wake-up signal indication information at a time 2 before the DRX on duration. Duration between the time 2 and the start time of the DRX on duration is a first offset and may also be referred to as a minimum offset, which is denoted as M_OF”, UE won’t detect DCI (with WUS) which being received less than threshold amount of time (M_OF) prior to the start of the next occurring DRX Active Time. [Zhang]: [0112]: “DCI to indicate a UE-specific waveform”; [0002]: “waveform indication in high-frequency band”; [Abstract]: “determine a first waveform for a broadcast channel, based in part on a received synchronization block signal from a base station. Then the UE further determines a second waveform”; [0009]: “The NR-supported waveforms currently are limited to OFDM on downlink (DL)”. UE would use the NR OFDM waveform since UE won’t detect DCI (with waveform indicator) which being received less than the threshold amount of time prior to a start of the next occurring DRX Active Time). However, combination of Tie and Zhang fails to expressly teach a default waveform;
‘wherein the determined waveform type is the default waveform type in response to the DCI not comprising the waveform indicator’ (Zhang: [0009]: “The NR-supported waveforms currently are limited to OFDM on downlink (DL)”, UE would use the NR OFDM waveform if DCI does not comprise a waveform indicator). However, combination of Tie and Zhang fails to expressly teach a default waveform.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Zhang’s teaching of waveform indicator with that of Tie in order to support other waveforms for above 60 GHz bands to avoid high PAPR with OFDM waveform (see quotes from Zhang at claim 21 above).
However, Sun teaches a communication system could be configured with a default waveform so that each UE can always access the network using the default waveform (Sun: [0115]: “a communications system may be configured with a default waveform for the coreset used for initial access. With a default waveform for initial access, each UE may always access the network using the default waveform”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Sun’s teaching with that of combination of Tie and Zhang for UE to use the default waveform in case that either UE does not detect DCI or DCI does not comprise a waveform indicator in order to access network with a known waveform (see reference quotes in element above).
Per claim 22 and 37:
Regarding claim 22, combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun teaches the UE of claim 21 (discussed above).
Tie teaches ‘wherein the DCI comprises a DCI Wake-Up-Signal ("DCI-WUS")’ (Tie: [0098]: “DCI including wake-up signal indication information”).
Regarding claim 37, combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun teaches the base station of claim 36 (discussed above).
Tie teaches ‘wherein the DCI comprises a DCI Wake-Up-Signal ("DCI-WUS")’ (Tie: [0098]: “DCI including wake-up signal indication information”).
Per claim 23 and 38:
Regarding claim 23, combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun teaches the UE of claim 21 (discussed above).
Tie does not expressly teach, but Zhang teaches ‘wherein the waveform indicator provides information about the usage of a single carrier waveform type or a multicarrier waveform type for reception of the physical downlink channel’ (Tie: [Abstract]: [0004]: “the NR standard might incorporate both OFDM and single carrier waveform (such as DFT-s-OFDM and SC-QAM) for DL transmissions for RF carrier frequencies above 60 GHz”, where OFDM is multicarrier waveform; [0002]: “waveform indication in high-frequency bands”; [0112]: “DCI to indicate a UE-specific waveform”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Zhang’s teaching with that of Tie to support SC-QAM waveform for above 60 GHz bands to avoid high PAPR with OFDM waveform (see quotes from Zhang at claim 21 above).
Regarding claim 38, combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun teaches the base station of claim 36 (discussed above).
Tie does not expressly teach, but Zhang teaches ‘wherein the waveform indicator provides information about the usage of a single carrier waveform type or a multicarrier waveform type for reception of the physical downlink channel’ (Zhang: [0004]: “the NR standard might incorporate both OFDM and single carrier waveform (such as DFT-s-OFDM and SC-QAM) for DL transmissions for RF carrier frequencies above 60 GHz”, where OFDM is multicarrier waveform; [0002]: “waveform indication in high-frequency bands”; [0112]: “DCI to indicate a UE-specific waveform”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Zhang’s teaching with that of Tie to support SC-QAM waveform for above 60 GHz bands to avoid high PAPR with OFDM waveform (see quotes from Zhang at claim 21 above).
Regarding claim 25, combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun teaches the UE of claim 21 (discussed above).
Combination of Tie and Zhang teaches ‘wherein the DCI uses one or more code points to provide information about the waveform type to be used for the reception of the physical downlink channel’ (Tie: [0097]: “The wake-up signal indication information is sent by using DCI. A DCI format of the DCI may be a DCI format 26 (DCI format 2_6)”. Zhang: [0116]: “indicate a waveform for downlink signaling channel. In one example aspect, the DL signaling channel may include physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) for carrying downlink control information and formats”; [0112]: “DCI to indicate a UE-specific waveform”; the DCI may use code points to provide information such as DCI format about the waveform type for DL reception).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Zhang’s teaching of waveform indication with that of Tie in order to support other waveforms for above 60 GHz bands to avoid high PAPR with OFDM waveform (see quotes from Zhang at claim 21 above).
Regarding claim 26, combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun teaches the UE of claim 25 (discussed above).
Combination of Tie and Zhang teaches ‘indicate one of: a Control Resource Set ("CORESET") identifier, a search space identifier’ (these are optional), ‘a DCI format’ (Tie: [0097]: “A DCI format of the DCI may be a DCI format 26 (DCI format 2_6)”); ‘or a combination thereof’ (this is optional);
‘indicate a corresponding waveform type for reception of the CORESET, search space, and/or DCI format’ (Tie: [0097]: “The wake-up signal indication information is sent by using DCI. A DCI format of the DCI may be a DCI format 26 (DCI format 2_6)”. Zhang: [0116]: “indicate a waveform for downlink signaling channel. In one example aspect, the DL signaling channel may include physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) for carrying downlink control information and formats”; [0112]: “DCI to indicate a UE-specific waveform”; may indicate a waveform for reception of the identified DCI format).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Zhang’s teaching of waveform indication with that of Tie in order to support other waveforms for above 60 GHz bands to avoid high PAPR with OFDM waveform (see quotes from Zhang at claim 21 above).
Per claim 28 and 39:
Regarding claim 28, combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun teaches the UE of claim 21 (discussed above).
Combination of Tie and Zhang teaches ‘wherein, to receive the downlink transmission during the next occurring DRX Active Time’ (Tie: [0097]-[0098]: “the wake-up signal indication information may indicate the terminal-side device whether to wake up to detect a PDCCH in next one or more DRX cycles … if the terminal-side device detects DCI including wake-up signal indication information, the terminal-side device starts a timer (referred to as a drx-ondurationTimer in the standard) and detects a PDCCH within DRX on duration”);
‘the processor is configured to cause the apparatus’ (this is implied); ‘receive a second waveform indication during the DRX Active Time’ (Zhang: [Title]: “METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR WAVEFORM INDICATION IN HIGH-FREQUENCY BANDS”; [Abstract]: “a user equipment (UE) are disclosed to determine a first waveform for a broadcast channel, based in part on a received synchronization block signal from a base station. Then the UE further determines a second waveform for at least one signaling channel, based in part on the received broadcast channel”; may receive a second waveform indication during the DRX Active Time);
‘the second waveform indication indicating a first waveform type for use with a dormant bandwidth part ("BWP") and a second waveform type for use with a non-dormant BWP’ (Tie: [0104]: “the terminal-side device may switch from a non-dormant BWP to a dormant BWP or may switch from a dormant BWP to a non-dormant BWP”; [0105]: “The network-side device sends DCI including the dormancy indication information to the terminal-side device, and values of the two bits corresponding to the dormancy indication information is “10”. In this case, an SCell in the SCell group 1 is in a non-dormancy state, the terminal-side device monitors a PDCCH and performs data transmission in the SCell in the SCell group 1; and an SCell in the SCell group 2 is in a dormancy state, the terminal-side device works in a dormant BWP and does not monitor the PDCCH”. Zhang: [0096]: “multiple waveform indication … two different waveforms”; may receive second waveform indication indicating a first waveform type for use with a dormant bandwidth part ("BWP") and a second waveform type for use with a non-dormant BWP).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Zhang’s teaching of waveform indication with that of Tie in order to support other waveforms for above 60 GHz bands to avoid high PAPR with OFDM waveform (see quotes from Zhang at claim 21 above).
Regarding claim 39, combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun teaches the base station of claim 36 (discussed above).
Combination of Tie and Zhang teaches ‘wherein, to perform the downlink transmission during the next occurring DRX Active Time’ (Tie: [0005] “To further reduce power consumption of the terminal-side device, before the DRX on duration, wake-up signal (WUS) indication information may be further sent to indicate the terminal-side device whether to detect the PDCCH in next one or more DRX cycles”; [0097]: “The wake-up signal indication information is sent by using DCI. A DCI format of the DCI may be a DCI format 26 (DCI format 2_6)”; may transmit the DL transmission outside any DRX Active Time);
‘the processor is configured to cause the apparatus’ (this is implied);
‘transmit a second waveform indication during the DRX Active Time’ (Zhang: [Abstract]: determine a first waveform for a broadcast channel, based in part on a received synchronization block signal from a base station. Then the UE further determines a second waveform for at least one signaling channel, based in part on the received broadcast channel”; [0096]: “multiple waveform indication … two different waveforms”; may transmit a second waveform indication during the DRX Active Time);
‘the second waveform indication indicating a first waveform type for use with a dormant bandwidth part ("BWP") and a second waveform type for use with a non-dormant BWP’ (Tie: [0104]: “the terminal-side device may switch from a non-dormant BWP to a dormant BWP or may switch from a dormant BWP to a non-dormant BWP”; [0105]: “The network-side device sends DCI including the dormancy indication information to the terminal-side device, and values of the two bits corresponding to the dormancy indication information is “10”. In this case, an SCell in the SCell group 1 is in a non-dormancy state, the terminal-side device monitors a PDCCH and performs data transmission in the SCell in the SCell group 1; and an SCell in the SCell group 2 is in a dormancy state, the terminal-side device works in a dormant BWP and does not monitor the PDCCH”. Zhang: [0096]: “multiple waveform indication … two different waveforms”; may receive second waveform indication indicating a first waveform type for use with a dormant bandwidth part ("BWP") and a second waveform type for use with a non-dormant BWP).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Zhang’s teaching of waveform indication with that of Tie in order to support other waveforms for above 60 GHz bands to avoid high PAPR with OFDM waveform (see quotes from Zhang at claim 21 above).
Per claim 29 and 40:
Regarding claim 29, combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun teaches the UE of claim 28 (discussed above).
Combination of Tie and Zhang teaches ‘wherein each BWP of a secondary cell ("SCell") is configured with a respective default waveform type, wherein a same default waveform type is configured for the physical downlink channel’’ (Tie: [0104]: “BWP in the SCell”. Zhang: [0009]: “The NR-supported waveforms currently are limited to OFDM on downlink (DL)”. Each BWP of SCell may be configured with OFDM (default waveform), the only currently supported waveform on DL for NR).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Zhang’s teaching of waveform indication with that of Tie in order to support other waveforms for above 60 GHz bands to avoid high PAPR with OFDM waveform (see quotes from Zhang at claim 21 above).
Regarding claim 40, combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun teaches the base station of claim 39 (discussed above).
Combination of Tie and Zhang teaches ‘wherein each BWP of a secondary cell ("SCell") is configured with a default waveform type, wherein a same default waveform type is configured for the physical downlink channel’’ (Tie: [0104]: “BWP in the SCell”. Zhang: [0009]: “The NR-supported waveforms currently are limited to OFDM on downlink (DL)”. Each BWP of SCell may be configured with OFDM (default waveform), the only currently supported waveform on DL for NR).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Zhang’s teaching of waveform indication with that of Tie in order to support other waveforms for above 60 GHz bands to avoid high PAPR with OFDM waveform (see quotes from Zhang at claim 21 above).
Regarding claim 30, combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun teaches the UE of claim 21 (discussed above).
Tie teaches ‘includes a code point configured for non-dormant BWP of each secondary cell ("SCell") in a group’ (Tie: [0105]: “The network-side device sends DCI including the dormancy indication information to the terminal-side device … an SCell in the SCell group 1 is in a non-dormancy state”);
‘wherein each bit in the code point corresponds to a respective SCell in the group’ (Tie: [0105]: “the network-side device configures four SCells. The four SCells are divided into two groups: an SCell group 1 and an SCell group 2. The dormancy indication information has two bits, which respectively correspond to one SCell group”, it would be an obvious variant to divide four SCell into 4 groups with each group has one SCell by trading between number of control bits and granularity and so Tie implicitly teaches the claim limitation).
Regarding claim 32, combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun teaches the UE of claim 21 (discussed above).
Tie does not expressly teach, but combination of Zhang and Sun teach ‘wherein the DCI comprising the waveform indicator is received in a cell using a same waveform type as used to receive a Control Resource Set ("CORESET") for the cell’ (Zhang: [0002]: “waveform indication in high-frequency bands”; [0112]: “DCI to indicate a UE-specific waveform”; [0101]: “the UE may use the same waveform for PDCCH/RMSI/Paging as the one for PBCH”; [0090]: “a new gNB … only supports SC-QAM in DL”. Sun: [0084]: “In order for a BS to transmit the PDCCH to the UE in a search space that the UE will search and using a waveform that the UE is configured to receive and decode, it is desirable for the BS to determine the waveform to use based on a type of waveform configured for the coreset that the UE is configured to receive”; [0008]: “The coresets may be configured to transmit physical downlink control channels (PDCCHs) to one or more user equipments (UEs) using single-carrier waveforms or multicarrier waveforms; [0115]: “a communications system may be configured with a default waveform for the coreset used for initial access”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of combination of Zhang and Sun with that of Tie in order to use a default waveform for the coreset used for initial access (see reference quotes in element above).
Regarding claim 33, combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun teaches the UE of claim 21 (discussed above).
Combination of Tie and Zhang teaches ‘wherein the waveform indicator further indicates a second waveform type to be used during the next occurring DRX Active Time for a physical uplink channel’ (Tie: [0098]: “the wake-up signal indication information may indicate the terminal-side device whether to wake up to detect a PDCCH in next one or more DRX cycles”. Zhang: [0002]: “waveform indication in high-frequency bands”; [0010]: “other waveforms for the high-frequency bands … SC-QAM for UL transmissions may help improve link budget and to reduce complexity”; may indicate a waveform type to be used during the next DRX Active Time for a physical uplink channel).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Zhang’s teaching of SC-QAM for UL transmission in order to improve link budget and reduce complexity (see reference quotes in element above).
Claim 24 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun as applied to claim 21 above, further in view of Papasakellariou et al. (US 20140293843 A1), hereinafter “Papasakellariou”.
Regarding claim 24, combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun teaches the UE of claim 21 (discussed above).
Tie does not expressly teach, but Zhang teaches ‘the waveform indicator is semi-statically configured by higher layer signaling’ (Zhang: [0137]: “The UE may receive a signaling channel such as a RMSI channel to indicate an DL waveform for DL data transmissions”; waveform indication may be semi-statically configured by higher layer signaling (RMSI)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Zhang’s teaching with that of Tie in order to support other waveforms for above 60 GHz bands to avoid high PAPR with OFDM waveform (see quotes from Zhang at claim 21 above).
Combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun does not expressly teach ‘the location of the waveform indicator within the DCI’.
Papasakellariou in the same field of endeavor teaches DCI format with bit location for indicator (Papasakellariou: [0192]: “a bitmap of X bits can be used for each of the TDD-Cells, with a value of `1` indicating the location in the DCI format for a respective indicator”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Papasakellariou’s teaching with that of combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun for higher layer signaling to semi-statically configure the location of the waveform indicator within the DCI in order to provide the necessary control information for the transmission of downlink and uplink transport channels.
Claim 31 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun as applied to claim 21 above, further in view of Yi et al. (US 20210203468 A1), hereinafter “Yi”.
Regarding claim 31, combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun teaches the UE of claim 21 (discussed above).
Combination of Tie and Zhang teaches ‘wherein, to determine the waveform type for the next occurring DRX Active Time’ (Tie: [0098]: “the terminal-side device detects DCI including wake-up signal indication information, the terminal-side device starts a timer (referred to as a drx-ondurationTimer in the standard) and detects a PDCCH within DRX on duration”. [Zhang]: “waveform indication in high-frequency band”; [0099]: “UE 604 may determine a waveform”);
‘the processor is configured to cause the apparatus’ (this is implied);
‘determine a second waveform type for use by a dormant bandwidth part ("BWP")’ (Tie: [0104]: “a dormant BWP”. Zhang: [0099]: “UE 604 may determine a waveform”; may determine a waveform for a dormant BWP).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Zhang’s teaching of waveform indication with that of Tie in order to support other waveforms for above 60 GHz bands to avoid high PAPR with OFDM waveform (see quotes from Zhang at claim 21 above).
Combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun does not expressly teach, but Yi in the same field of endeavor teaches ‘a dormant bandwidth part ("BWP") for performing Radio Resource Management ("RRM") measurements’ (Yi: [0514]: “The wireless device may perform measurements such as L1-RSRP, RRM, CSI on the dormant BWP”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Yi’s teaching with that of combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun in order to speed up the activation procedure of dormant SCell with an always-updated CSI provided by UE to base station (Yi: [0352]: “reporting CSI for an SCell and not monitoring the PDCCH on/for the SCell, when the SCell is in a dormant state, may provide the base station an always-updated CSI for the SCell. With the always-updated CSI, the base station may employ a quick and/or accurate channel adaptive scheduling on the SCell once the SCell is transitioned back into active state, thereby speeding up the activation procedure of the SCell”).
Claim 34 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun as applied to claim 21 above, further in view of Baldemair et al. (US 20220109594 A1), hereinafter “Baldemair”.
Regarding claim 34, combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun teaches the UE of claim 21 (discussed above).
Tie teaches ‘wherein, to receive the downlink transmission during the next occurring DRX Active Time’ (Tie: [0098]: “if the terminal-side device detects DCI including wake-up signal indication information, the terminal-side device starts a timer (referred to as a drx-ondurationTimer in the standard) and detects a PDCCH within DRX on duration”; may receive downlink transmission during the next occurring DRX Active Time”).
‘the processor is configured to cause the apparatus’ (this is implied).
Combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun does not expressly teach, but Baldemair in the same field of endeavor teaches ‘receive an uplink configured grant ("CG")’ (Baldemair: [0012]: “The resources may be allocated … with a configured grant, which may be provided with higher-layer control signaling”, may receive uplink configured grant);
‘wherein the uplink CG contains a second waveform indicator that indicates a second waveform type to be used for uplink CG transmission’ (Baldemair: [0033]: “For semi-statically configured PUSCH transmission, for Type 1 and Type 2 configured grants, a configured waveform may be (independently of using of fallback DCI 0-0) configured with the higher layer parameter transformPrecoder in ConfiguredGrantConfig”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Baldemair’s teaching with that of combination of Tie, Zhang and Sun in order to support semi-statically configured PUSCH transmission without using DCI (see reference quotes above).
Conclusion
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/G.F./Examiner, Art Unit 2462
/YEMANE MESFIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2462
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